This invention relates to an individualized, location specific weather forecasting system which allows users or subscribers to receive weather forecasts specific to their location on wireless mobile electronic devices such as cellular telephones, over the internet (via e-mail) to fixed locations and/or via television or satellite to either mobile or fixed electronic devices.
Weather forecasts have typically been communicated to large groups of people en banc by television, radio, and print media. For example, the evening news from local Boston television stations include a segment regarding the weather forecast in the Boston metro area which covers many square miles. Recently, services available at websites such as accuweather.com allow users with a computer to receive weather forecast for somewhat more specific regions.
For improved accuracy, all of these forecasts, however, are based on complex computer models which require as input many different types of weather data. And, such forecasts cannot accurately differentiate between the weather conditions in or predicted for two adjacent towns or the weather conditions expected for two different golf courses in the same town in the next fifteen minutes or half hour.
One focus of recent marketing efforts is the ability to receive information of many different types remotely. That is, cellular telephones allow calls to be made from the automobile or airport and personal data assistants allow e-mails and other computer data to be received at almost any location. Other systems provide information specific to the user""s location, i.e., directions and the location of specific hotels and restaurants in the proximity of the consumer wherever the consumer is currently located.
The traditional media outlets, however, will probably never personalize weather forecasts because their relevant market is based on large groups of consumers tuning in at once. On the other hand, other weather forecast service providers which can provide forecasts electronically such as accuweather.com cannot update the accuracy of weather forecasts in near real time because of the use of complex computer models as the basis used by such forecasters to predict the weather. Moreover, the format of these forecasts does not lend them to predicting weather changes over 0-2 hour time frames or for areas as small as xc2xc square mile.
There is, however, a distinct need for a consumer to be able to receive current weather forecast information specific to that consumer""s current location. Boaters would appreciate a xe2x80x9cpocket weather radarxe2x80x9d at their disposal. Coaches and parents at a child""s ballgame would be able to receive forecasts for the next 15 minutes, the next 30 minutes, and the next 60 minutes specific to a one quarter mile sector including the playing field.
Unfortunately, currently, no system exists for such individualized and location specific weather forecasting.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a novel weather forecasting system.
It is a further object of this invention to provide such a system which provides individualized and location specific weather forecasts.
It is a further object of this invention to provide such a system in which individuals receive accurate and up-to-date weather forecasts irrespective of their location.
It is a further object of this invention to provide such a system which allows users to receive weather forecast information on wireless mobile electronic devices such as cellular telephones.
The invention results from the realization that by automatically detecting the specific location of mobile electronic devices such as a cellular telephone, accurate and real time weather forecast information specific to that location can be automatically transmitted to and displayed on the cellular telephone upon request thereby providing personalized weather information upon demand so that users, even only a few miles apart, will each receive different forecasts as a storm moves through a given region in contrast to traditional radio and television transmissions in which both users receive the same, and therefore, non-specific weather forecast.
This invention features an individualized, location specific weather forecasting system comprising an electronic device; means for detecting the location of the electronic device; means for generating weather data; and a forecasting subsystem, responsive to the weather data and the location of the electronic device which transmits to the electronic device weather forecast data specific to the current location of the electronic device.
The electronic device is typically a wireless mobile electronic device such as a cellular telephone, portable computer and/or personal data assistant. The means for detecting the location of the electronic device may be global positioning systems and cellular telephone tower transmitters.
The forecasting subsystem typically includes a database including a plurality of geographical sectors and, for each sector, weather forecast data unique to each sector as a function of time. An ingest processor, responsive to the weather data, stores weather type data as a function of both location and time. The forecasting subsystem typically includes a prediction processor, responsive to the stored weather data as a function of both location and time, which generates the weather forecast data for each sector for a period of time (e.g., every seven minutes).
The sector size is usually based on the resolution of the means for generating weather data (e.g. precipitation) such as a Doppler radar system. Typical sector sizes are less than five miles or one quarter mile from one (e.g., the user""s) specific location.
The forecasting subsystem may further include a server responsive to the location of the electronic device which identifies the electronic device and provides the current weather data to the device. On such server is a wireless application processor. The forecasting subsystem may include a sector processor, responsive to the server, for extracting from the database forecast data from the sector corresponding to the location of the electronic device.
This invention also features a method of providing individualized, location specific weather forecasts. The method includes receiving from a user a request; automatically determining the user""s current location; receiving and storing actual weather data unique to each user""s location; forecasting the weather for each location based on the actual weather data for that location as a function of time; and transmitting to the user the weather forecast for the user""s current location.
The method of providing individualized, location specific weather forecasts according to this invention includes detecting the location of an electronic device; receiving weather data specific to a plurality of geographic sectors; forecasting, based on the received weather data, the weather for each geographic sector; and transmitting to the electronic device upon request forecasted weather information specific to the location of the electronic device.
The electronic device is typically a wireless mobile electronic device such as cellular telephones, portable computers, and personal data assistants.
Detecting the location includes utilizing global positioning satellite data or using information transmitted from the cellular telephone tower closest to the wireless mobile electronic device. Detecting the position may also include using information transmitted from a plurality of cellular telephone towers proximate the wireless mobile electronic device.
Forecasting typically includes storing in a database a plurality of geographic sectors, and, for each sector, weather forecast data unique to each sector. Forecasting may further include periodically updating the weather forecast data unique to each sector, for example, every seven minutes.
The size of each sector is usually based on the resolution of the received weather data. The weather data may be received from a Doppler radar system and the sector size is typically less than five miles from one specific location. In the preferred embodiment, the sector size is approximately one quarter mile from one specific location.
The weather data is typically precipitation data. Receiving and transmitting usually includes utilizing a wireless application processor whereby transmitting includes extracting from the database forecast data for the sector corresponding to the location of the electronic device. The method further includes generating, for each sector, a plurality of weather forecasts, each a function of time.
The forecasting subsystem of the subject invention typically includes an ingest processor programmed to receive weather data unique to specific geographic sectors; a prediction processor, responsive to the ingest processor, programmed to predict the weather for each sector as a function of time; a server programmed to receive a request from an electronic device and location information for said electronic device; and a sector processor programmed to provide, to the server, weather predictions for the sector corresponding to the location information.
The weather forecasting method of this invention includes receiving weather data unique to specific geographic sectors; in response to the received weather data, predicting the weather for each sector as a function of time; receiving a request from electronic device and location information from said electronic device; providing weather predictions for the sector corresponding to the location information; and transmitting said weather predictions to the electronic device.
In one specific embodiment, weather forecast data is transmitted to and displayed on a mobile electronic device such as a cellular telephone.